A World with No Christians

Telling others about Jesus used to feel like a lot of pressure to me. What if I wasn't convincing enough? What if I didn't make a compelling enough argument? What if I didn't have all the answers? Imagine my relief when I learned that God does the saving and he can use my nervous, stuttering presentation if he wants! This was such a freeing revelation.

J.I. Packer helps us to zoom in to see that the person of God active in this process is the Holy Spirit. Christians rarely give the Holy Spirit the credit due him. For one, many refer to him as an it (had to get that out of my system)! However, he is just as much God as the Father and Son and he plays a very important role in salvation. Packer says that without him, there would be no Christians (70). 

Yet we often turn a blind eye to him. We may acknowledge him a little, but we often act as if he isn't there or maybe we're just confused about who he is and what he does. However, he is our very hope in accomplishing the Great Commission given to us by Christ. Packer says, "He testifies by illuminating: opening blinded eyes, restoring spiritual vision, enabling sinners to see that gospel is indeed God's truth, and Scripture is indeed God's Word, and Christ is indeed God's Son." What an important role! How can we ignore him? The truth of what he does should free us to boldly share the gospel without fear of failure. It's up to him, not us! Packer goes on, "It is the sovereign perogative of Christ's Spirit to convince men's consciences of the truth of Christ's gospel." 

So how do we respond? Packer says that when we ignore the work of the Holy Spirit, we dishonor him and the Lord who sent him. He in turn gives us three ways to respond. First, we honor him in our faith by acknowledging the authority of the Bible he inspired while hearing it with reverence and receptiveness. Second, in our life we obey the Words of Scripture and recognize it as true and that God will stand behind it. Third, we honor him in our witness trusting that Holy Spirit authenticates our witness. We don't rely on our own clever devices, but his power.

The older I grow, the more I recognize the Holy Spirit's work in my life. The more I recognize his work, the more free I feel knowing that his power works to change me and make me look more like Christ. His power makes dead men live. His power will help us finish the race. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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